Skywest losses IAH COEX flying

[FlyChicaga]

On a related note, how will the Saab do in the Houston heat this summer?

Not well. Especially the A-model Saabs. Probably see passenger counts in the 26-29 range in the summer. Don't plan on commuting on them.

 

[Azul]

I love to see the skywest pilots get all upset about losing the CO flying. Do worry your airline still reigns supreme over all others! You guys really don't need to worry I mean those 80 pilots will for sure find jobs when you take over AWAC's flying. It sucks to get underbid doesen't it.

 

[BluDevAv8r]

It's a real bummer that CAL wouldn't just give the routes to XJT operating the EMB-135s.

We originally did a lot of that flying with our 120's and ATR's and after 9/11, went to an all-jet fleet. We tried operating 135's and 145's to some of these stations but unfortunately, CAL was losing its shirt. We operate under a "cost plus" arrangement whereby CAL pays us if we are empty or full. The loads on some of these flights were abysmal so CAL experimented with Commutair and Skywest under a pro-rate agreement in CLE and IAH respectively.

-Neal

 

[BRA]

I think it had to do with the saab holding 34 pax vs the emb holding 30? Of course, the PFT operation we had going last year could have contributed. That is dried up now. Training is paid for, but new hires do sign a contract. I think many airlines bid on the flying, i saw in some other thread that horizon bid on it too. That may have been in the latest colgan thread going around.

Now that i think of it....i think colgan does pay in training right now, and provides a hotel throughout. Skywest doen't pay, but does provide a hotel. Looking at the pay rates...skywest seems to be better. (EMB side) I would guess the work rules and per diem are better at skywest at also.

 

[av8n4life]

Colgan does not fly a model saabs...so they shouldn't have weight issues and you can definately plan on using colgan to commute

 

[FlyChicaga]

Ok then. What are your passenger weights? Ours made the Saab a 32-seat (sometimes 31 or 30) airplane. Sometimes down to 28 in the summer... and they were B models.

 

[flifo81]

Just posted on the Skywest sites.

On what sites did you find the info?? And Colgan does only fly B-Model SAABS with 34 seats.

 

[hotwing]

incorrect info

Rumor has it that CAL was not happy with Skywest. The performance was not what had been expected.
- bad info - CAL put flying that was to exp out for bid and the lowest bidder won - nothing to do with SKYW's performance! I like when people just come up with conclusions that r not right - it is better to be factual with info. Cal is low bidding now XJT, watch out in '07...

 

[XRMEFLYER]

The Saab is probably a better plane to use. .

How so?

 

[captjim]

hey Captjim (aka helmet)
I bet you are a wannabe captain....you probably just throw gear and luggage. For you to sit there and tell the forums that CAL was not happy with SkyWest is the funniest @&$% that I have ever heard. SkyWest has a AWESOME product and will continue to do so for quite some time. Find yourself dude, and for everyone else that thinks Colgan has and can offer a better product than SkyWest....think again. "TRIP" said it right...the race to the bottom continues even though he doesn't know what he is talking about. Cornballs

Dude grow up. Debate or explain your point of view like an someone who is paid to think first and act second. I'll not reply to your toughtless rants again. And what is find yourself? I'm sitting at home watching football!

Reread my post and comprehend. As I said, rumor has it that CAL is not happy. This is what has been floating around for quite sometime, not only here but with IAH Skywest employees as well.

 

[captjim]

Rumor has it that CAL was not happy with Skywest. The performance was not what had been expected.
- bad info - CAL put flying that was to exp out for bid and the lowest bidder won - nothing to do with SKYW's performance! I like when people just come up with conclusions that r not right - it is better to be factual with info. Cal is low bidding now XJT, watch out in '07...

Once again to another Skywest guy getting bent out of shape. Read my post again, becouse yours has no merit. Guy learn to deal with loosing flying just like everyone else in the industry. Feels different now that the shoe is on the other foot doesn't it?

Fact:

CAL put your, wait our old flying to bid on. Why? Cost or Performance or both. Do you know for sure?

It was in the USA Today

As I said rumor, wait read again rumor. Rumor has it that CAL was not happy with Skywest. I know Uncle Jerry has you all conditioned that there are none better, but guess what.

 

[SkyWestCRJPilot]

I flew down in Houston for a year on the Continental Connection side of SkyWest. I think SkyWest did a great job down there and that's what we continually heard was that Continental was pleased with our service.

Regarding what someone said about ontime performance, half of those Brailias have ACARS which doesn't lie. You can't just close the main cabin door and reopen it again like I've seen one airline do. The right engine has to be started to get an out time.

The overnighting aircraft in certain cities that ExpressJet started redoing was because SkyWest told Continental they needed a few more Brasilias overnighting in IAH so they could do routine maintenance on them. Continental had ExpressJet pick up the overnights in a few cities.

Regarding a more comfortable service on ExpressJet, I've flown on ExpressJet and I really enjoyed every flight. When it comes to flying on a hot noisy Brasilia or a new cool ERJ most passengers would prefer the ERJ but that's not what Continental wants on those routes so RJs aren't an option.

Also SkyWest is making money in Houston. The first 9 months they had low ticket prices to increase market share but later raised prices and were profitable. With all of that being said the reality is that the new passenger weights that went into affect about a year ago really hurt the Brasilia. Going from 170 lbs to 190 lbs made the airplane really restricted to more like 24-26 passengers. It was either that or not carry all of the luggage. SkyWest mulled the idea of buying Q400s last summer but decided they weren't going to invest in a 4th fleet type. When the bid went out Continental wanted bids for a larger sized turboprop including 50 seat turboprops, something SkyWest was unwilling to invest in. SkyWest lost the this bid for turboprop flying which was only 1% of SkyWest's total available seat miles.

Those 67 SkyWest pilots will have to be relocated and I imagine difficult for those that bought homes down there. But I can guarantee that when ExpressJet's contract is open for rebid for January of 2007 SkyWest will put their bid in for RJ flying.

 

[MELIT]

Av8tor02,


A good product in the airline business is an ontime airline for both people and bags. SKYW has not been doing that hot of a job in either category here in IAH. They show ontime because they call their own times. I have heard a number of ops calls with the times being called ontime when in fact they are late. With the new bag weight issue, they also leave behind people and bags on a regular basis. The product is not by any means the greatest here in IAH. I've flown on SKYW a number of times both on the 120 and on the CRJ. In my opinion, there are other carriers out there that do a much better job. XJT offers a far more seamless, comfortable, and friendly operation that any SKYW flight I've been on.

With that being said, in the end SKYW lost the flying because they were underbid. SKYW has also been losing money since they showed up in IAH so I'll bet they really aren't too upset that this little experiment is over. It really has nothing to do with the product quality. Can Colgan offer a better product? I guess we will all see later this year. This isn't really a big deal for SKYW except for those crewmembers who settled down and made plans to be in IAH for some time.

How much money have they lost?
Do you think colgan will be more "seamless"? (Whatever the fuct that means)
Comfortable, I've flown on XJT no 50 seat airplane is comfortabe.
Friendly, CO ran the operation not Skywest.

 

[av8n4life]

Colgan's are B's also and 34 seat configuration haven't been flying in the extreme heat of the south, so I guess we'll see what happens when summer rolls around

 

[homerjdispatch]

CO runs the IAH part. SkyWest runs the outstations.

 

[flifo81]

CO runs the IAH part. SkyWest runs the outstations.

So out of the SkyWest routes, all of the out stations are run by SkyWest? None of them, excluding IAH, were run by CO or XJT? That said, those will turn into Colgan stations now?!?!

 

[hotwing]

Low bid won here only guys! This is not about CAL not being happy with one of the best regionals out there... This is all about the lowest bidder, obviously, as in this case... It is all about the bottom dollar - XJT GUYS wait for '07 when your contract expires and the bidding starts...

 

[BRA]

Where is it written that the lowest bidder won? This may be true, but show me a press release. May be colgan was just in the right place at the right time. Other airlines may have made lower bids but couldn't get the planes fast enough. Example- commutair, gulfstream. Colgan already has the training program in place and flies the planes already. It may be hot in texas but our cowboys can fly with the best of them. Just wait until you see a dude back taxi two thousand feet backwards while holding a small mirror out the window of his new continental stylin rig. You also may see an aircraft taxi in with dents all over it from a hail pounding. And heel spurs, freightened FO's, and flight attendants with brusied foreheads.

Memo to Colgan: Have fun in houston, you won't find us there.

Signed: Patriots Fan, Steeler fan, and Giants fan, and controllers from baston that Pawk in a Pawking lot.

 

[NRHPilot]

For our saabs at DFW, we really don't take a performance hit until maybe 40 degrees or so. We used to get hit hard in cities like AMA and LBB, but now the only city that we go to that has maybe a problem in the summer is SJT with an elevation of 1919' where we may take a climb performance hit. Now that ILE (5000 foot runway) is gone where we took a huge runway performance hit, we really don't have to bad a problem. The real problem is the higher BOW weights of the Aircraft and the 190# Summer passenger weights.

 

[Smoked Toilet]

Whats done is done. SkyWest was unwilling to go the 50 seat prop route. It wasnt a big surprise to many of us. The guys down there did a great job.

Good luck to the pilots, fa's, and cust serv reps down there that may need to relocate.

How about having a little respect for those guys instead of biatching about rumors.